Seattle Animal Shelter news and events

Archives for January 2010

The Seattle Animal Shelter is asking all cat owners to help “beat the heat” this year and have your cats spayed or neutered before mating season begins and they go into heat. If you are the owner of an unspayed or unneutered cat, you may start noticing your male cat developing wanderlust and your female cat becoming very affectionate and very vocal.

As winter comes to an end and the warmer weather and longer days of spring approach, your unfixed cats will start coming into heat. As a result, each year thousands of unexpected and unwanted kittens are born.

“To help lower the number of kittens that are abandoned or surrendered to our shelter in the summer and fall, we are asking cat owners to take action now. Spay or neuter your cats before they contribute to this serious problem of pet overpopulation,” says Dr. Mary Ellen Zoulas, staff veterinarian at the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Spay and Neuter Clinic.

The Clinic offers lower-cost, high quality spay and neuter surgeries. Through the Clinic’s “Pet Population Control Fund,” surgeries can be subsidized for those needing assistance.

“If you don’t have a cat, you can still help. You can spread the word to friends and family who may have unfixed cats. Or you may want to help out a friend or neighbor who would like to do the right thing, but may need financial assistance, transportation, or just moral support. Or you can contribute to the “Pet Population Control Fund,” adds Dr. Zoulas.

The Clinic is located on the north end of the Seattle Animal Shelter at 2061 15th Ave. W., about one mile south of the Ballard Bridge. Surgeries are performed Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment, call (206)386-4260.

Have a get fit resolution for 2010? Learn how your healthy goals could lead to a new home for some shelter dogs; CityStream premieres Thursday, January 21, 7 p.m.

SEATTLE — Some Seattle area runners have dedicated workout partners who simply won’t take any excuses to miss a run. They are the dogs of the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Get Fit with Fido program. And come rain or shine, they are ready to play.

Kara Main-Hester of the Seattle Animal Shelter says the one of a kind program has healthy benefits for both the runners and the dogs. “It’s a great way to stay fit and a great way to help your community,” Hester adds. And the volunteers agree. “When I run by myself sometimes I’m a little sluggish, but with these guys we really get a good run, its fun,” said Peggy Papsdorf.

The Fit with Fido program allows the higher energy dogs a chance to get a longer exercise period. It also gives them a little more exposure as people out for a walk or a jog often stop the volunteer runners to ask about the shelter dogs.

WATCH THE STORY NOW by following this link: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=3071003

And don’t miss the rest of the show with host Kim Holcomb at the Seattle Animal Shelter. We’ll introduce you to more adorable animals looking for a new home. Plus, an obesity study in Seattle may help shed some light on why some people gain weight. And, three young chefs recently received national recognition for their eco-friendly, culinary creations. All of that and more are coming up on this episode of CityStream, Thursday night at 7 p.m., SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21 or watch it online at www.seattlechannel.org

SEATTLE — The Seattle Animal Shelter continues showcasing “cool city pets” for adoption every third Saturday of the month beginning this year on Jan. 16. Between the hours of noon and 3 p.m., potential adopters can get acquainted with the many small animals available for adoption from the shelter, located at 2061 15th Ave. W., about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. Available small animals include hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and mice.

“The Seattle Animal Shelter isn’t just about cats and dogs anymore,” says Director Don Jordan. “Because of our tremendous success in adopting out cats and dogs, we are now entrusted with the lives of all animals when pet owners can no longer care for them. Adopting an animal from the Seattle Animal Shelter is the right thing to do.”

Volunteer small-animal specialists are on hand to help adopters find the right pet for them. They provide information about each animal’s characteristics and needs, demonstrate basic care and handling skills, and answer questions.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Animals may be adopted by adults only. Adopters must be prepared to provide proper housing, food, water, toys and other materials necessary for the good health of the animal. The adoption fee for small animals ranges from $5 to $25.

If you would like more information or directions, please call (206) 386-PETS(7387) or visit the shelter’s website at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org. The shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for licensing.

The Seattle Animal Shelter reserves the right to approve or deny any animal adoptions and limits the number of small animal adoptions to no more than three per household.

Seattle Animal Shelter showcases foster cats at Magnolia Community Center
SEATTLE — As part of its ongoing outreach efforts to find suitable permanent homes for foster animals, the Seattle Animal Shelter hosts a cat adoptathon on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2010, at the Magnolia Community Center, located at 2550 34th Ave. W. The event runs from noon to 3 p.m. and features numerous cats of different breeds.

“By holding monthly adoptathons in neighborhoods throughout Seattle, we are able to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

Adoption prices range from $152-157 and include:

· Initial vaccinations

· Deworming

· Feline Leukemia testing

· Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians

· Spay or neuter

· Microchip (About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected under the cat’s skin, providing an identification number associated with that animal. Animal shelters can then “scan” a lost animal and retrieve its records from the microchip.)

· Seattle Pet License (if applicable)

To help reduce the number of animals euthanized, the Seattle Animal Shelter has a foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs and cats. Donations from the city’s “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals that would otherwise be euthanized.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for licensing, and noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions. It is located at 2061 – 15th Ave. W. The phone number is (206)386-PETS(7387). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.